23, 25 and 27 Blackett Street (Gem House)

HER Number

9160

District

Newcastle

Site Name

23, 25 and 27 Blackett Street (Gem House)

Place

Newcastle

Map Sheet

NZ26SW

Class

Commercial

Site Type: Broad

Shop

Site Type: Specific

Jewellery Shop

General Period

20TH CENTURY

Specific Period

Early 20th Century 1901 to 1932

Form of Evidence

Extant Building

Description

Shop and offices. 1904 by Newcombe and Newcombe for Robert Herron; circa 1906
shop for Reid and Sons. Sandstone ashlar; slate roof. Free style with art-nouveau
shop details. 3 storeys and attics; 2 wide bays. Shop has curved windows to
recessed entrance and scrolled brass name plaques below windows; flowing glazing
bars to window heads and to mirror soffit; much carved ornament to 2 recessed
doors. Bracketed fascia below 2 wide shallow bows with pilasters of different
Orders on each floor, Roman Doric, Ionic and Corinthian framing 3 sashes in
each bow. Serpentine dentilled top cornice. Roof balustrade with tall spike
finials. 2 wide attic windows of 3 sashes in pilasters under scrolled pediments.
Mansard roof. LISTED GRADE 2

Easting

424900

Northing

564430

Grid Reference

NZ424900564430

Sources

Department of National Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural and Historic Interest, 20/112; Grace McCombie, 2009, Newcastle and Gateshead - Pevsner Architectural Guide, p. 23 and 185